WHO REALLY PLAYED WHO IN THE BATTLE BETWEEN MNANGAGWA AND CHIWENGA

Zimbabwe has lived with many political stories, but the story of Mnangagwa and Chiwenga is one that many people still try to understand. People ask if Mnangagwa betrayed Chiwenga or if Chiwenga failed to see the real game. Some say it was a clear act of betrayal. Others say Chiwenga trusted too much. But the truth is not simple. It is not just about two men fighting each other. It is also about the system they were working in, a system that rewards power, fear and control more than loyalty and honesty.

Many people tell the story like this. The soldier removes the old leader. The politician he supports then turns around and removes him from power. It sounds like a movie. It sounds clean and easy to understand. But Zimbabwean politics is not like that. It is full of pressure, fear, mistrust and hidden plans. To understand what really happened, we have to look at the timeline and how both men behaved.

The alliance between Mnangagwa and Chiwenga was never based on shared ideas. It was a partnership born out of crisis. In 2017 the fight between G40 and the Lacoste faction was destroying the ruling party. When Mnangagwa was removed from the vice presidency, everything reached a breaking point. Chiwenga felt the army had to act to protect the liberation legacy. Mnangagwa felt he had to survive and find a way back into power. Each man brought something the other man needed. Chiwenga brought military power. Mnangagwa brought political cover. Together they removed Mugabe and took control of the state.Many people in the army believed the arrangement would not last long. They thought Mnangagwa would lead for a short time and then hand over to Chiwenga once everything had settled. Chiwenga was made vice president. Many top soldiers were moved into government and party positions. For a short period it looked like the spirit of 2017 was safe. But this peace did not last.

By late 2018 things started to change. Mnangagwa began to move military officers out of key positions. Some were retired. Some were sent out of the country as diplomats. Some were quietly sidelined. He rebuilt the intelligence services with people loyal to him. He changed party structures so that he controlled the new networks that gave out benefits and power. Slowly, the political space began to shift in Mnangagwa’s favour.

The economic crisis made this shift even faster. The state needed business people and civilian networks to fix the economy. This meant the army was no longer the centre of everything like it was in 2017. By 2019 the balance of power was already changing. Chiwenga became less important. He also fell seriously ill and this gave Mnangagwa even more room to strengthen himself. While Chiwenga was away, the president pushed his loyal people into more positions. Internal security became focused on protecting Mnangagwa and keeping him safe from any challenge. Some people linked to the military were even arrested to show who was now in charge.

By 2022 the old pact was finished. Chiwenga was still vice president but he no longer had the real power he once expected. Mnangagwa entered his second term stronger and more secure. He built a system that protected him alone. Chiwenga, the man who helped change the country in 2017, now found himself pushed to the side.

So did Mnangagwa betray Chiwenga or did Chiwenga fail to understand the game It is hard to say. Maybe it is both. But one thing is clear. In Zimbabwean politics power is never shared for long. The system eats loyalty. The system rewards the person who strikes first. And in this case Mnangagwa struck first and struck hardest.